chapter 4: a moment in time

---

The days that followed their first encounter felt like they were being stitched together in an intricate pattern, but one that neither Kaori nor Ryo fully understood. Every time they met, a feeling of dissonance would settle in their chests—two souls caught in a whirlwind of fate, yet unable to comprehend why or how. There was something both comforting and disorienting about being near him, as though their shared connection was a secret whispered between their hearts, but neither of them could remember the beginning.

Their interactions were slow and deliberate, as if they were walking through a dream where every word and every glance had weight, but at the same time, nothing could truly touch them. Each conversation felt fragile, as if the moment they spoke too much of their true selves, it would unravel. But the more they saw each other, the stronger the pull became.

---

Kaori was seated at the same small table in the back of the bar, where the jazz band was playing softly. The dim light gave everything a warm, nostalgic glow. She was holding a glass of wine, but it had long since gone cold. Her thoughts were miles away, racing in circles as they always did when Ryo was near. She couldn't ignore the overwhelming sense that there was something between them, something inexplicable. But what if she was wrong? What if her mind was just playing tricks on her, building up a fantasy in the absence of anything real?

She took a deep breath, but it did little to quell the storm inside her. Her phone buzzed on the table, the sudden noise breaking her thoughts. She glanced down at the screen and saw the familiar name.

It was a message from her mother.

Kaori, how are you doing? You haven't been answering my calls. I know this is hard for you, but you need to take care of yourself. Come visit soon. I miss you.

She bit her lip, her fingers hovering over the screen. Her mother's words always came with a gentle insistence, a love that Kaori had never really known how to receive. Ever since her father had passed away a few years ago, her mother had tried to be her anchor, but Kaori had pushed her away. She didn't know how to explain the grief she carried, the emptiness that stretched from her chest to the farthest corners of her mind. Every time her mother reached out, it reminded Kaori of everything she couldn't talk about, everything she couldn't understand.

She slid the phone back into her bag without replying.

---

Ryo entered the bar with his usual quiet demeanor, his eyes scanning the room as he made his way to the counter. The moment he saw her, sitting alone with a cold drink in front of her, he felt a pang of guilt—an inexplicable ache that gnawed at his insides. He had been thinking about her constantly since their meeting, but it was not just the attraction or the connection that made him uneasy. There was something deeper, something about her that stirred memories he didn't have. Every glance, every smile she offered seemed to push him further into the spiral of confusion he couldn't escape.

The bartender waved him over, but Ryo's attention was fixed entirely on Kaori. He felt like he was walking a tightrope—if he took one more step in her direction, he might lose his balance and fall. But he couldn't stop himself. He approached her, each step measured and deliberate.

"Mind if I join you?" His voice was low, almost hesitant, as if he wasn't sure if she would want him there.

Kaori looked up, her eyes softening when they met his. She had been expecting him. Of course she had. And yet, his presence still startled her, like a ripple in water that she hadn't anticipated. She nodded, motioning to the seat across from her.

"Please," she said, her voice just above a whisper, the warmth of it making his heart race. "It's been... a strange few days."

He sat down, studying her face for a moment before turning his gaze toward the stage. The music was a familiar lull, but it seemed to hold a certain weight tonight. Everything felt more poignant, like the air itself was brimming with emotion.

"I know what you mean," Ryo replied, his eyes fixed on the band. "Sometimes it feels like time is moving too fast, and then... there are moments when it feels like it's standing still. Like we're just waiting for something to happen."

Kaori swallowed, the lump in her throat tightening. "Waiting for what?" she asked quietly, though she knew the answer was something neither of them had the words for.

"Something we can't explain." His voice was distant, as though the words had come from somewhere far beyond the walls of the bar. "Something we both feel, but can't put into words."

The silence that followed was thick, heavy with the things they both wanted to say but couldn't. Neither of them knew where to start. Neither of them knew what the other was truly waiting for.

Kaori finally broke the silence. "Do you ever feel like there's... something wrong? Something that's just... always been there, but you can't remember what it is?"

Ryo turned his head sharply, his gaze meeting hers with an intensity that made her heart skip. His jaw clenched as if he were holding something back, something precious. Something dangerous.

"Every day," he said, his voice hoarse. "I feel like I've been searching for something my whole life... but I don't know what it is. And sometimes, I think I've already found it. But I'm afraid to reach for it because I might lose it."

Kaori's breath caught in her throat. The way he spoke, with such raw honesty, struck her deeply. It was as if he was speaking her thoughts aloud, things she had never dared to voice. His words felt like a mirror, showing her the reflection of herself she had been too scared to face.

"Maybe we're both looking for the same thing," she said softly, her eyes searching his.

Ryo stared at her for a long moment. His lips parted, but before he could speak, the lights flickered above them, and the music stopped abruptly. A sudden chill filled the air, the temperature dropping sharply as if the world had momentarily shifted. For a brief moment, everything felt wrong, as though the reality they were in had fractured.

Ryo felt it first—the tug in his chest, the same sensation that had plagued him since he had first met Kaori. The feeling that something was slipping away, and no matter how fast he ran, he couldn't catch it. His hand clenched around the edge of the table.

"Ryo?" Kaori's voice was trembling now, and he could see the fear in her eyes. She felt it too—the pull. The emptiness that stretched between them.

But before he could answer, the room around them seemed to tilt, and a sharp, cold wind howled through the walls. The lights blinked out, leaving them in complete darkness.

---

End of Chapter 4.